By Mamadou Edrisa Njie, in Tangier, Morocco
Focusing on her presentation on, “Working conditions of the African Women in fishing activities”, Madam Hayat Assara of ATLAFCO, noted that the African woman’s contribution in the fishing sector is essential, particularly in terms of processing, local sales, transportation of fish to the market and other support activities.
She made the salient observation at the two days Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, acronym in English-ATLAFCO and in French-COMHAFAT, otherwise ATLAFCO/COMHAFAT, holding in Tangier, Morocco, from 3rd – 4th October, 2019.
Hayat, who did her presentation on 3rd October, in the presence of government officials, consultants and journalists working on fisheries, has a strong position that women working in the fisheries sector are managing households by supporting them financially, noting that at community level, women are holding local and traditional ecological knowledge on fisheries.
Dissecting women contribution in the fishing sector, she indicated that women are present at all levels of the entire value chain- from production to marketing of fish and fish products.
According to her, women are therefore, at the heart of issues, they play a crucial role in the maritime environment. Pointing out some of the challenges and major constraints women are facing in the fishing sector, Madam Hayat cited inadequate resources which include finance, competition with the fishmongers and competition with fish export factories.
Women access to finance from microcredit institutions is also a challenge she pointed to, saying that some of them are given small amounts with high interest rates.
She told the seminar that financing for investment in new technologies is almost non-existent for women. Other constraints she alluded to, are the amenities and equipment as well as defective and insufficient infrastructures.
She apprised the gathering that “no control of regional and international trade channels, no control of health standards in force, difficulties related to transport, storage and packaging deficient are all challenges”.
Expounding on regional and international references to improve women’s conditions, she cited Sustainable Development Goals five (SDG 5) which calls for an end to all forms of discrimination against women around the world.
She recalled the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Voluntary Guidelines, on the need to improve gender equality throughout the fisheries value chain, noting that the said Voluntary Guidelines in its approach emphasize gender equality throughout the fisheries value chain, and therefore calls for equal participation of women in decision-making processes and organizations.
Madam Hayat explained that the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for African Fisheries and Aquaculture emphasize the active participation of women in the fisheries sector, thus given assurance of equitable distribution of benefits, especially for the poorest, marginalized in society, such as women.
She spoke of ATLAFCO’s efforts to promote the living conditions of women in fishing, through the African Network of Women in Fisheries (RAFEP), which is an organization born from the political will of ATLAFCO/COMHAFAT Member States. RAFEP, she informed her audience, brings together all the national networks and organizations of women active in the fisheries sectors of the countries of the ATLAFCO/COMHAFAT.
She added that the women network on fisheries was created to strengthen the situation of women, defending their interests, and ultimately give them the key role they play in the fisheries sector.
As she further told them, RAFEP is positioned as a representative body and a force for proposals aimed at developing and strengthening the capacity of women in fisheries. RAFEP actions taken by ATLAFCO/COMHAFAT are “to improve conditions for women” operating in the sector through capacity building workshop for members of the RAFEP on hygiene, quality and processing techniques of fishery products, training on Japanese techniques for the preparation of traditional surimi for the benefit of RAFEP women, leadership, communication skills trainings, among others.
On recommended solutions, Hayat is of the view that strengthening the technical, organizational and political capacities of women is key, as well as advocacy for better participation of women in decision-making.
She’s also of the belief that, the recognition of working women in fisheries would contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals, reducing poverty, eradicating insanity and poor nutrition, ensuring social and economic stability.
She concluded her exposition by intimating that strengthening the representation of women in governance bodies at local, national and regional levels could help immensely, in improving women’s condition in the fishing sector.
